Other Agoraphobia who else has it and how do you feel?

[elektriknathan]

- I mainly go to places when they are less busy
- Paces like on the way to work (tubes etc) I put my head...

all the agorphobic thoughts are the same or in a similar vein
"Escape"
"Holy (bleep)"
Your brain is just trying to protect you in that specific situation

I do not know your history but in my history I have had a lot of people forcing me to do something against my will so perhaps my brain is putting up boundaries "Free will impingned. Must flee this situation"

I watched a documentary recently on agorophobia and they all experienced the same thing we do and it helped to see it from a different perspective: "Look at them, this looks weird, it is not natural, it's internal"

No judgement here by the way, never will be.

I've found my councious brain is overtaking more of the thoughts and vanquishing a lot of them but the key is to not grip the thoughts when they appear

"Oh my God I am going to die, help me"
if someone went up to you in your safe place and said "Oh my God I am going to die, help me" you may think "lol whatever"

Your animal brain is trying to get you to avoid the situation because it thinks that you're in danger, it just makes judgements without caring about social norms etc

1+1 = 2
your animal brain helped you get the answer as soon as possible

accept the animal brain. I try to tolerate thoughts but I know it's hard to do so.

Thank you

hope this helps

 

[Molly79]

I feel that way all the time. It's so strange to be somewhere with no imminent threat and want to scale the walls to escape just because you're in the center of a room. The best way I've found to cope with it is be in uncomfortable positions more often that are really as safe as anything else. Ministressors frequently. It's f*cking horrible, especially at first, but it helps.

 

[Deleted member 541]

I did suffer from it about 20 yrs ago. I got over it by just forcing myself. Basically I didn't have a choice, I had to work. Then on weekends I would pack, and go to a friends. Planning on staying the weekend, I'd usually have a coffee and then leave. But I did that every weekend.

I litterly had to crawl down my stairs backwards everyday just to get out the door. The panic would start the minute I had to start getting ready to leave the house. It took about 3-4 months of everyday doing this before I got over it.

 

[o0O0o0O0o]

Hi

I have cPTSD with agoraphobia

I can't handle shopping malls when they're busy, can't handle...

I too am suffering from agoraphobia/major social anxiety related to PTSD and feel you. Glad that you have some coping strategies and positive techniques for shaping your perspective, and a compassionate attitude with yourself and others. Thank you for sharing them.

I agree that it helps to re-expose ourselves to challenging, but safe and relatively comfortable, experiences. I am actively working on this both to help my personal relationships, re-establish my professional ones, and re-build trust in myself and others. It's really hard though, so I'm also working on taking it slowly and trying to be very kind to myself in the process.

It really helps and gives hope to read all the experiences of those who are also looking to overcome, and to hear from those who have made progress.

 

[OverLoaded]

- I mainly go to places when they are less busy
- Paces like on the way to work (tubes etc) I put my head...

I find it very uncomfortable to see ppl happy laugh and talk and my mind goes fast just being on the phone or in a room with someone that wants to see me happy and relax enjoy life. With loss of feelings when I do well it doesn't help my mind feel better. Disassociation sucks.

 

[OverLoaded]

I've had agoraphobia for the past 16 mths.

I can't go anywhere without shaking or getting anxiou...

I hear you. At times when I heard ppl around me having fun while I'm laying in bed hoping it would get better. I'm like it's not killing me when ppl are around it just feels like it.

 

[Deleted member 42433]

I don't leave my house if I don't have to. However, I pick my kids up from daycare and the dojo 5 days a week for last 8 months. It doesn't matter. The dread sets in about 1.5 hours before I have to leave. Everything. So exposure is obviously not working.

 

[OverLoaded]

Ya forcing ourselves can only help so much. I keep trying hoping it will get better. I feel almost only uncomfortable about anything normal. Sometimes when I'm around ppl I feel like I'm overwhelmed and people who know me treat me differently at least when someone doesn't know me I have a chance of being treated better.